LOR Questions

[Quicky]

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Hi there,

Thanks in advance for the help. I'm planning on getting one LOR from my boss (who is a professor in the med school here) and one LOR from my manager at my EMS company (I am an EMT). I am planning on my third letter being from my Physiology advisor (who said that he writes the equivalent of a pre-med committee letter) who also was my professor for a Physiology course.

Will these three letters be sufficient for a majority of med schools? I will also likely be working full time on a research project with an MD this summer and I can probably get a letter from him if needed.

Thanks!

 

[AdmiralChz]

Good, broad range of letters you have there. I would go ahead and get a letter from the research project just in case something happens with the first three (delays, etc...). Definitely can't hurt to have a 4th. Certain schools are specific on what they want, others give a blind "send three LORs." Having 4 covers all your tracks for what you would need. Good luck!

 

[mikecougarmd]

Some require three letters from professors who have taught you in a class (not just research, not just employment). You may want to poke around the schools you're thinking of applying to just to double check.

 

[Quicky]

For the schools that require a letter from a pre-med committee, is that letter the only one you need to submit? Or do you still need 2 more letters from various sources?

 

[mikecougarmd]

It was an either/or for all the schools I applied to. They required either a premed committee letter (which most seem to prefer, maybe because it's easier to compare students coming from a given school) OR whatever combination of 2/3/4 letters from professors from various disciplines. My school discontinued the premed committee because there were so many applicants (several hundred I believe between med and dent) so I had to go with the individual letters which can be a pain to get.

 

[AdmiralChz]

For the schools that require a letter from a pre-med committee, is that letter the only one you need to submit? Or do you still need 2 more letters from various sources?

Whew this was so confusing when I applied this year. After talking with many people about it, the prevailing opinion here is to submit other letters in addition to the pre-med committee letter at all costs. The committee maybe has met you once or twice in most cases and that letter serves as just a base, the real insight into your person is gleaned from individuals you have had close contact with over an extended period of time. This separates the pre-med "robots" with stellar GPA yet no clinical experience/bedside manner from the somewhat lower GPA with significant exposure and experience. Hope this helps!